Report reveals staff raised concerns about sex-beat Mortimer

Workers complained about sex-beast Alex Mortimer, but bosses failed to take action

A Rutherglen mum has told how she saw vile Alex Mortimer close a toilet door behind him when he took a toddler into the bathroom.

The incident has come to light after a 30 page significant case review by South Lanarkshire Child Protection Committee last week revealed concerns about Mortimer’s behaviour had been ignored by management.

Mortimer (30), from Rutherglen, was caged in 2012 after admitting to abusing children in his care while working at a South Lanarkshire nursery.

He was caught when police found 17,967 horrific photos and 582 videos on his computer, including some of the “most depraved ever seen”.

In July 2012, he was sentenced to eight years in jail, but could be free within months.

The review said several staff members had raised “issues of discomfort,” about Mortimer but these had not been followed up.

These included breaking protocols by not using gloves to change nappies and closing toilet doors when in with a child.

There were also reports of him blowing on a child’s body.

It also revealed he was employed after a brief interview after which two interviewers said he was unsuitable for the post.

He “groomed parents” by preying on families going through hard times so he could get access to their children.

One parent at the nursery Mortimer worked this week told the Reformer she didn’t expect to ever get “closure” on the episode.

She added: “I saw him one day when I was picking my child up and he took another child into the toilet and closed the door.

“I thought it was a privacy thing, my child was jumping over me and it was all over in a split second.

“I didn’t question it, but that image has stayed with me.

“It does not surprise me that complaints about his behaviour were made and nothing was done. There was a culture of being silenced at the nursery.

“It was very clear from the beginning that they did not want us to know about it.

“I put my son in there thinking they would be looked after well. I hoped when the story broke about Alex Mortimer I was going to get some answers but I was wrong. They did not want us to know anything.

“I don’t believe a paedophile can sit there for years and not be seen.”

The findings of the review, which concluded no abuse happened at the nursery, was welcomed by South Lanarkshire Council.

Jim Gilhooly, executive director of education resources, said: “First and foremost in our minds throughout this process has been our concern for the victims of Mortimer. What he did was unforgiveable.

“We were keen that any lessons that could be learned were learned, not just locally but nationally. That’s the best way for all of us as a society to protect our children.

“I’m grateful that the child protection committee has identified key strengths in our approach to this case. We have already moved to address the issues raised in the review’s recommendations and I am sure other agencies will do the same.

“The warning about the way Mortimer ‘groomed’ parents is something we all need to be particularly aware of so that, as agencies and parents, we can do everything possible to guard against such predators.”